


Cassidy's Lackey

by Katz (orphan_account)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Non-Sexual Submission, Pokemon - Freeform, Pokemon Fanfiction, Pokemon GO - Freeform, Pokemon fan games - Freeform, Stockholm Syndrome, Team Rocket - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-28 20:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15057512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Katz
Summary: Butch and Cassidy are staging another high profile Pokémon heist. A novice trainer tries to intervene and is beaten soundly. Not taking well to being subdued, though, she begins to struggle, cry, and distract the Rockets. Cassidy decides to take her in the back room for a little "chat."Possible Trigger Warnings:Bullying leads to something positive, at least in the eyes of the character.There is a kidnapping scene.Stockholm syndrome is mentioned as something the character might suffer from.There's one scene with swearing / implied swearingThat's why it's rated T for Teen, but it's still reasonably mild and suitable for most audiences. I don't know if I would let non-teens read this, though, as it does have a scene where the main character thinks positively about bullying.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Pokémon is property of Nintendo, the Pokémon Company, the WB, and whoever else owns the rights to it. 
> 
> This is a Neo-Shipping fan fic, sort of, as it deals mainly with those other members of Team Rocket--what's-his-name and Cassidy! There's also an original character to give us fresh reactions to the Rockets' world. 
> 
> Sorry Rocketshippers, but Jessie and James aren't the main characters in this one. They are referenced, and there may be a scene or two with them, though.

Author's Note: Team Rocket are the best part of Pokémon, but so little is known about the members who are real villains. This fic is an attempt to show them some love, or hate, whatever the case may be. 

* * *

 

"Prepare for trouble!" 

It was an ordinary day in the life of the two Rockets. Today, they were staging a heist at a laboratory for Dr. Nambla's research. There wasn't much to get in their way, either, just a wimpy doctor and his teenage assistant. Butch and Cassidy easily subdued the doctor, and now it was the assistant's turn. 

The girl was reacting like scared prey, she ducked behind the desk and pressed a panic button. 

Cassidy watched the girl like a hungry animal and calmly gave a play-by-play. 

"Oh, I think you'll find calling for help isn't going to be that easy..." Cassidy said as she held up the severed wires. 

The doctor's assistant hid under his desk; she was visibly shaking. Her hand grasped a Poké Ball and enlarged it. 

Out popped a Pikachu. 

Cassidy looked at it and laughed. 

"If you think that will beat us...I think you've got the wrong Rockets..." Cassidy said as Butch stopped what he was doing to give a confident laugh. Cassidy and Butch spent a second silently shared their little inside joke and exchanged knowing glances at each other. Those three were so stupid and incompetent, but at least they were good for a laugh. 

"Pikachu!" the girl began. 

Swiftly, Cassidy pulled out a Poké Ball, and Drowzee appeared. 

The girl was so shocked to see the huge psychic Pokémon that she almost forgot to yell her command. 

"Thundershock!" the girl yelled.

"Disable!" Cassidy said calmly. 

As Pikachu was charging, it was enveloped with a strange blue light. The Pokémon had a shocked and scared expression on its face. 

"Psychic attack; drain its energy!" Cassidy commanded. 

Within seconds, the little Pikachu was completely drained of energy. The lab assistant watched in horror as her Pikachu struggled to stand. She shakily called it back. 

Cassidy studied her nervous expression. 

"If I were you, I would quit while I were ahead," Cassidy said.

 Shakily, the girl readied another Poké Ball. 

Cassidy confidently walked up to her, high heeled shoes clicking as she walked. 

Wordlessly, she directed her Drowzee to take the Poké Ball from the young woman using another disable attack. Cassidy smiled when she heard the assistant let out a surprised yelp.  

Cassidy knelt down so that she was eye level with the crouching assistant. Her cold piercing violet eyes met the large fearful doe eyes of the assistant. 

"Looks like I won this round," Cassidy said as she snatched the Poké Ball away and shrunk it. 

"Give me back my Raichu!" the assistant yelled. 

Cassidy turned put her finger to her chin and briefly looked thoughtful, like she was seriously considering. 

"Um, let me think about that...um...no." Cassidy said sarcastically as she walked back to help Butch with the rest of the raid. 

* * *

 

The doctor's assistant Sonya Clearwater's mind was racing. She just sat under the desk in a fetal position, clutching her knees and wailing. Her fear was more than visible, as she was shaking, sweating, and crying like she was being tortured. 

Cassidy walked over to the girl and kicked her in the knee. It was a hard sharp kick, and Sonya felt a burning pain. It made her cry all the more. 

"Keep that up and we'll give you something to really cry about!" Butch threatened as he continued to take the lab apart.

"Oh, I think I know how to handle crybaby here..." Cassidy said as she flashed the girl a wicked smile. Her tone was confident and dangerous. 

Sonya heard the cocking of a pistol and felt the cold metal pressed against her forehead. She struggled to stop sobbing and comply but her body just wouldn't allow her; she was so afraid. She felt her assailant leaning in closer; she felt her hot breath on her skin and tried to break contact with the piercing gaze of her violet eyes. 

"I don't blame you; I would probably be reacting the same way if I were in your little situation, but try to keep it down, okay?" Cassidy said in a tone that was almost playful. 

Sonya heard her walk away again. She finally got the courage to look around. She couldn't believe what she saw. 

 _She left the gun!_ Sonya thought, a feeling of elation sweeping over her. Shakily, she took it in her hands. 

She released the safety on the gun with a click. She didn't want to chance confronting the Rockets and instead opted to escape. She crept away as silently as she could, leaving the doctor tied up. She just made it to the door when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She swallowed hard.  

"Uh-uh-ah...I can't have you running off to the police while we're in the middle of a heist, now, can I?" Cassidy asked in the same calm playful mocking tone she had used earlier. 

Predictably, the girl pulled the gun and held it up to Cassidy. 

Cassidy laughed and snatched it away. Then, she calmly pressed it to the girl's temple. The girl heard her squeeze the trigger. She crouched down and shivered, just waiting for the inevitable end. 

"Bang!" Cassidy said, squeezing the trigger. 

Instead of a deafening blast and sharp pain, Sonya felt a little bop on her head. Sonya dropped to her knees and started sobbing again. 

"Come on! Do you really think I'm dumb enough to leave you with a loaded gun?" Cassidy scolded.

The assistant looked up long enough to see Cassidy carelessly toss the weapon aside. 

Sonya hugged the corner of the desk she was hiding under; they were toying with her like a Meowth with a Rattata. She bit her lip and tried to hold back her tears.  

* * *

Cassidy was kind of hoping that her playful attitude would relax her hostage at least a little. After all, you can only feel like you're in danger for so long before you kind of get the point. 

She looked at her shattered victim with a puzzled expression and then hid another smile. There was something amusing about her frightened overreaction. Part of Cassidy wanted to calm her down, not just for the sake of the heist, but for her own sake as well.  

 _This poor kid; she's acting like this is going to be her last day on earth. If she keeps it up, it may very well be!_ Cassidy thought. 

She paused and heard the labored sobs and heavy breathing. 

Cassidy knelt down again and gently put her hand over her victim's mouth. 

"Look, if I wanted you dead, that's what you'd be now..." Cassidy said in a disinterested matter-of-fact way. 

Her victim whimpered in response. 

"...so...try to calm down, okay?" Cassidy said flatly.

Cassidy walked away only to be greeted by the sound of frantic wailing once again. 

 _Okay...that does it. This time, it's just melodrama._ Cassidy said to herself with an eye roll and a sigh. She quickly searched the lab for a vial that could probably remedy the situation in a cleaner fashion. 

Her gaze fell on a sparkling blue and white powder, and she smiled when she read its label. 

 _Ah, sleep powder..._ Cassidy said to herself with an inward purr. 

* * *

 

Sonya tried to comply with the criminal's request to stay quiet, but so many horrible thoughts were racing through her mind that she just couldn't get herself to cooperate. 

She knew she had to somehow escape or she might not make it out alive. She was certain they wouldn't want to leave a witness to their crimes. She bit her lip and waited, her heart was pounding. She let out more loud labored sobs, completely losing herself in her fear. She decided to scramble for the door again. 

Once more, just as her fingers touched the handle, a strong arm pulled her back, fingernails lightly dug into her skin. 

This time, her captor just sighed and quickly grabbed her by the wrists. 

"Come with me..." Cassidy said sweetly, fiddling the little vial in her free hand. 

Sonya was led to the doctor's private office and told to take a seat on the couch. She nervously complied. 

Her captor made a dramatic pose, almost like a dancer, as she opened the vial and threw its contents into the assistant's face. 

"Nighty night!" Cassidy cooed. 

The assistant held her breath and kept crying. Cassidy watched the tears form and the look of absolute terror on the girls' face. At first, Cassidy rolled her eyes, but then the girl's struggling started to get to her. 

Sonya caught a mischievous look in the eye of her captor. She soon felt herself being tickled. Panicked, the assistant started laughing, gasping, and unintentionally breathing in the powder. 

Cassidy dusted herself off; the deed was done. 

"Like I said earlier, nighty night!" Cassidy said, flashing another mischievous smile. 

Sonya had no idea what she inhaled and she again feared the worst. She started shaking and sobbing in a panic. 

Cassidy walked over to her and gave her a firm slap. 

"Quiet!" Cassidy whispered. The crying stopped for just a few seconds, while Cassidy was trying to retrieve the keys the doctor kept in his office. 

There was soon more helpless whimpering coming from the assistant. 

Cassidy took her shaking victim by the hands and just held her there. 

"Shhhh...." Cassidy shushed her in a low soft voice. It was almost motherly, and it sent little chills over Sonya's skin. She appeared to calm down.  

Cassidy continued searching for the keys, occasionally noticing her non-sleeping victim whimpering on the couch. The crying was terribly distracting, each tortured whimper piercing right through her. There wasn't much of that she could stand. The sleep powder should have already taken effect. 

She walked over to her victim and sat next to her. 

"You're pretty needy, you know that?" Cassidy asked, the same playful tone in her voice. 

Sonya felt herself being pulled close to her captor. She flinched and shook. 

"Just relax...I'm not doing anything bad..." Cassidy said with a laugh as she stroked her victim's hair and gently massaged her shoulder. 

Sonya was surprised at how well she was taking to it. Even though she didn't trust the situation, she felt herself relaxing. Her shivering subsided as she felt the gentle touches and listened to the soft voice of her captor. 

"That's it; deep breaths..." The voice in her ear was low and soothing. Sonya felt herself yawning and getting sleepy. She suddenly went limp and felt herself falling into her captor's lap. She met Cassidy's soft violet eyes and yawned again.  

Cassidy laughed, but this time it didn't sound nearly as scary as it did earlier. 

Lazily, she removed a lock of hair that fell into her victim's face. 

Drowsily, Sonya continued to regard her captor. 

"Like I said, it's nap time...don't keep fighting it..." Cassidy said in a whisper, continuing to stroke her scared victim's hair. 

The thought of running never crossed Sonya's drowsy mind. Soon, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She continued to feel someone gently stroking her hair as she slowly drifted off to sleep. 

"There, that's not so bad, is it?" she heard her captor whisper. The voice was low and lilting, almost musical. 

Sonya felt herself being gently shifted as her captor got up. Moist lips briefly pressed against her forehead, and she heard a soft, "good night." She also felt the gloved hands of her captor against her skin as she pulled something warm over her. Sonya couldn't move at this point; the sleeping solution had already caused her to slip mostly out of consciousness, but she could still hear her captor singing softly and walking around in the office; she was still getting little chills from the sound of her soft voice.

"All done here..." the soft playful voice said.  

After she heard the door open, she felt someone take her hand and stick something in to it. It was round and heavy, like a Poké Ball. 

"I really didn't need this," she heard her captor say. 

Finally, Sonya heard the door close. A smile crept on to her face as the last traces of consciousness faded away. She somehow knew that everything was going to be okay. 

* * *

 

As Sonya awoke feeling peaceful and refreshed, the world slowly came back into focus. 

Her Raichu was on the floor anxiously babbling about something. A quick check revealed that she still had all of her Pokemon, but the lab was a mess. The doctor and several research items were nowhere to be found. She promptly notified the authorities and was informed that someone already called in a lead several hours ago. She sat rubbing her temples, breathing deeply, and thanking her lucky stars she was still alive. 

Sonya sat up and clutched her Raichu tightly in her arms. 

"Team Rocket..." she said after a shocked breath. 

"Raichu," 

"We...we're lucky to be alive...." Sonya said as the full realization of what happened hit her. 

"Chu..." 

Sonya immediately checked herself into the emergency room and checked her Pokemon into a Pokemon center. The doctor informed her that she had inhaled pure sleep powder and she was going to be okay as long as she didn't make a habit out of it. She was also treated for some minor cuts and bruises. 

Nurse Joy informed her that her Pokemon looked weak and tired and needed some vitamins and a good rest. 

They eventually found the doctor, too. He was a little roughed up and shaken, but other than that, he was okay. 

After they were sure the police were doing everything they could, things returned, more or less back to normal, at least from Sonya's perspective. The Rockets stole equipment that was easily replaced. 

The doctor Sonya worked for, on the other hand, was extremely concerned about the theft, even though they recovered most of the software and equipment and were able to resume running tests. Security was strengthened. A special pass code was now required to get in or out, and security cameras lined the perimeters and halls of the lab. 

They also had a wireless panic button installed. 

The rest of the week passed without incident, but Sonya couldn't stop going back there in her dreams. 

They weren't nightmares, exactly. They were oddly pleasant dreams. She was spared by someone who could have easily taken her life, and she replayed the incident again and again, trying to imagine her motive for letting her go. 

Cassidy's sweet voice and piercing violet eyes became a source of comfort in the young girl's imagination. She had dreams of being caught, kissed, and spoken to with motherly affection. She started to view the Rocket not as some criminal but more like some kind of strange protector lurking in the shadows. 

 _She must lead such an amazing life_. Sonya thought to herself, as she imagined Cassidy, with her confident smile and cool Pokémon moves. 

Raichu cooed, oblivious to the thoughts his master was having, as Sonya petted him. 

 _So much different than what I'm doing_. Sonya thought with a sigh as she fetched a broom to sweep the lab. 

"Rai! Rai!" Raichu cooed as it grabbed a sponge and tried to help out. 

There were days where she felt like some kind of odd version of Cinderella out in the lab. She imagined someone in black with piercing violet eyes and a mischievous grin taking her away to a land of delight and adventure, if such a life existed at all. 

Of course, like almost everyone else, she wanted to become a Pokémon trainer, but her family thought it was too dangerous. Plus, she didn't get chosen in the lottery anyway, and even though she could probably pass the test, and skip the lotto, now that she had been working in the lab for a year, there was still the matter of convincing her parents. 

 _It's too dangerous to go out hunting for Pokémon in the wild! You don't know where they've been or what diseases they might carry. You also don't know if they won't just turn around and attack you._ She heard her dad's voice say. 

She quietly fantasized about being kidnapped and forced to train Pokémon. It was better than the life her parents were making her live. 

 _I wish I wouldn't have been so scared when they came to the lab._ She thought. 

Sonya's thoughts suddenly turned dark, as she remembered all of the news reports, the destruction and terror that Team Rocket created in the region. She shook her head. 

 _What am I thinking about? That's no place for me. It's far too dangerous...the Rockets are really bad people, but, if they weren't?_ Sonya thought. 

Sonya let out a sigh. Raichu said its name in response. 

* * *

 

Sonya let the idea fall back into her subconscious along with all of her dreams of becoming a great Pokémon trainer and all of the other goals she had for herself that she felt like she would never accomplish. She would have completely forgotten about it, if it wasn't for one fateful day. 

She was running an errand for the doctor in Cerulean City, and she came across a robbery in progress. Team Rocket, decked out in their black uniforms with red "R's" were openly robbing one of the Poké Marts. Sonya knew she should probably mind her own business, but she just could not look away from this train wreck, not this time. They were carrying things out of the store as one huge unit, and no one was trying to stop them. 

She watched with fascination as they loaded items onto one of their big trucks. 

"Raichu!" her Pokémon growled. 

She had almost forgotten that she took him out earlier to get some exercise. 

"Shhh..." Sonya said, trying to calm him. 

"Chu..." the Pokémon cooed. 

Suddenly, Sonya heard the bushes she was hidden behind rustle. 

"Well...well...what do we have here?" a man in a black uniform with the unmistakable red "R" asked. 

Sonya noticed the black mask he was wearing over his eyes to conceal his face. 

Raichu, sensing danger, started sparking its cheeks. 

"Now, now...I wouldn't do that if I were you..." the man said as he pulled a gun and undid the safety. 

Sonya gulped hard and clutched Raichu, stopping its attack. 

"Hand over the Pokémon, and no one get hurt," the Rocket grunt growled. 

Sonya's mind and heart were again racing. She broke into a sweat and started to panic. 

"I...I...I....can't..." Sonya finally managed to say. 

"I'm not here to play games, girlie, hand over the Pokémon or eat lead! We're Team Rocket; if you got what we want, we take it!" the man growled. 

Sonya hesitated, and that won her the piercing sound of gun shot at close range. She winced as she heard the bullet bounce off a nearby rock. 

"That was a warning shot; the next one's going to be right between your pretty little eyes!" the man threatened. 

"Raichu...go...go with...the...man," Sonya stammered. 

Raichu looked at her with confusion. 

"Rai?" 

"Go...with him!" Sonya ordered. 

Raichu stepped forward and cautiously walked to the man's side. 

Once Raichu was at his side, the man laughed.

"Doesn't this thing have a Poké Ball? The man asked impatiently." 

Sonya pulled it out and gave it to the man, who then promptly recalled her Raichu and put the Poké Ball in his pocket, all while still pointing the gun at the girl.  

"Now, give me your other Pokémon!" the man demanded. 

"Hurry it up, and don't try anything funny!" 

 The man waited anxiously with one gloved hand out and the other firmly on his gun. 

Sonya nervously pulled out her other Poké Balls and put them in the man's hand. 

"Good. Now, empty your wallet!" 

Sonya nervously complied; she didn't have very much money with her. 

The man looked over the pile and took some loose Poké Dollars, her credit cards, and her picture I.D. 

"Got a Pokémon training license?" the man asked. 

Sonya shook her head. 

"Too bad..." the shady Rocket grunt said as he looked through his newly acquired "treasures." 

He finally lowered the gun, apparently disinterested. Sonya let out a sigh of relief and tried to leave. 

Before Sonya could move, however, he had his weapon back out, pointed at her temples. 

"On second thought, I think you know too much. I'm not sure I should let you leave..." the man said, his eyes narrowing.

"Get in the truck..." the man said. 

Sonya swallowed hard. This was the end. How could it have come to this? 


	2. A Day in the Life as Team Rocket Recruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonya, after being forced into the truck against her will, is taken to a training camp.

Cautiously, Sonya complied and made her way to the truck. There was no one inside, except for some caged wild Pokémon. The Pokémon growled in greeting to their human neighbor. Sonya froze. There were all kinds of Pokémon in the truck, and some of them looked like they could really hurt if they decided to attack. 

She sat down in the corner of the truck. Her Rocket captor wasn't far behind. 

"No, I want you to sit here," the man said as he motioned to one of the cages. 

Sonya winced at the humiliating thought but complied and got in the cage. There her hands and feet were bound for good measure. She stood uncomfortably leaning on the bars of the cage for support. Tears started streaming down her face. 

"Don't start that!" the Rocket warned, brandishing his gun. 

She tried not to, but she started to cry anyway. She attempted to quiet her sobs so that she wouldn't get into trouble. 

Another Rocket made his way into the truck. 

"Nice catch..." the Rocket said, motioning to the girl. 

The other Rocket laughed. 

More Rocket grunts started boarding the truck and sitting in the spaces around the cages. The air began to smell of dirt and sweat. 

Sonya stood in the cage a good ten minutes before everything was loaded up and the truck started moving. The police were nowhere in sight. 

She heard the Rockets talking about their heist and how well they did this time and how "the boss" was going to be super happy. A lot of the conversation didn't make a lot of sense to her. 

They had been driving for hours. Sonya's arms were very tired, and all she really wanted to do was sit down and rest. Of course, her restraints made that impossible. 

A few of the Rockets were stealing quick glances at her and whispering to each other. 

"Whose bright idea was it to bring her?" Sonya heard one of them say. 

"What are we going to with her?" Another one said. 

A grunt with green hair, who must have been the leader in this particular group, spoke up. 

"Pay no attention to the beautiful gull; I got some special plans for her," the green haired man said with a wink. 

There was hooting and cheering, but a group of Rockets in the front stayed quiet and started whispering to each other. 

* * *

 

Mindy was a newer grunt who had just joined a few weeks ago. She certainly didn't like Ronnie's tone when he said, "special plans." Something told her it didn't have anything to do with Team Rocket, and, even though she didn't exactly join because of her strong sense of morality, some things were deplorable even by Rocket standards. Mindy and her group of friends were keeping a close watch on the caged woman. 

They stopped at a Pokémon drop off point for headquarters. Just as they suspected, no one was touching the caged woman as the Pokémon were unloaded. While everyone was distracted with unloading Pokémon and cleaning cages for the next shipment, Mindy and her friends made their move. They walked over to the cage and Mindy slid her card in. The cage beeped, and the door and the accompanying restraints opened. Sonya sunk into the arms of her rescuers sobbing. 

Mindy and the others pushed her away. 

"There's no time for that!" Mindy said sternly.

"Sorry..." Sonya said, trying to dry her tears. 

"Quick, put this on!" a teenage boy in a Rocket grunt uniform commanded. 

Sonya complied and slipped the Rocket grunt uniform on over her clothes. It was itchy hot sweaty and stinky, but, right now, that was the least of her worries. 

"Now, just climb down with the rest of us like everything's the way it should be," Mindy instructed. 

Sonya slipped out of the truck undetected. Mindy grabbed her arm and led her to where all of the other grunts were supposed to be standing. 

Another Rocket in a slightly different colored uniform was doing a head count. 

Sonya swallowed hard. 

"Just act natural..." Mindy whispered. 

* * *

 

Petrel stood holding the roster of names and looking at the recent recruits. They had pulled a huge heist and stolen lots of Pokémon and important equipment for Team Rocket operations. For the most part, he was very proud of these young recruits. 

There was one young lady, though, that he could swear he never saw on the roster. 

The Rocket executive walked up to her and gave her a stern glare. 

Sonya swallowed hard. 

"Name, please..." Pretrel growled.  

"Sonya Clearwater..." she said shakily.

Petrel scanned the roster. 

"Why isn't your name on my roster?" Petrel asked. 

"Well...um..."Sonya was so nervous she could barely speak. 

"Let me explain!" Mindy said, boldly stepping up to the officer. 

"She's...um...new...yeah...new...we got her today off of Nugget Bridge!" Mindy said. 

Petrel walked up to Mindy and gave her a glare. 

"New recruits are to NEVER go on missions without being overseen; do I make myself clear? Why didn't I hear about this? She was supposed to be sent to a recruiting base!" Petrel asked. 

"Beats me, sir...I wasn't in charge" Mindy said, innocently. 

Petrel took out his radio. 

"I need a list of the recruiters who were stationed at Nugget Bridge. It looks like one of the wise guys decided to break protocol, play admin, and add people who were not assigned to the mission! Heads will roll for this!" Petrel growled into the radio. 

"Yes...yes sir, I'll have a list right away," the person on the other side of the radio squeaked. 

Almost as if on cue, Ronnie walked up and took his place in line. 

"Whew...stealing Pokémon is hard work," Ronnie said loudly while wiping his brow. He caught sight of Sonya. 

"Hey, what are you doing out of your cage?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.  

"The only recruiter stationed on Nugget Bridge was a guy named Ronnie...Ronnie Harris..." the man on the other end replied. 

Petrel turned around in time to see Ronnie pull the gun on Sonya. 

"What the **** do you think you're doing!" Petrel yelled as he grabbed the gun out of his hand. Petrel then kicked him to the ground, stomped on his face until he heard a crunch, and rolled him out in front of the neat rows of Rocket grunts. 

Ronnie pulled himself back up, holding his face and crushed jaw. 

"You're reassigned to janitorial duty! I'll let Viper deal with you this time! You'll answer to a jury of your peers. Screw up like this again, though, and you'll be answering directly to the boss, and he doesn't like screw-ups, got it?" Petrel growled. 

Ronnie groaned. He was probably going to be running laps from now until he was old enough to retire. 

Mindy giggled. 

"The boss is likely to fire the guy with real fire, if you know what I mean..." Mindy whispered.

Sonya didn't quite get the joke, but she laughed politely anyway. 

Petrel stepped in front of her. 

"As for you..." 

Sonya stopped laughing and made a hard gulping sound. 

"Stay in our barracks tonight. Tomorrow, someone from our recruiting office will take you where you were supposed to register." 

Petrel continued to look her over. He noticed her belt didn't have any Poké Balls. 

"Do you have any Pokémon?" 

"They took them from me..." Sonya said hesitantly. 

"Oh, they forced you to turn 'em in, huh? Without making a report to me?" Petrel growled again. 

"What did you have?" 

"A Pikachu and a Raichu," the girl answered, almost tearing up. 

"We'll get your Pokémon back to you. Don't worry."

Petrel frowned and lowered his clip board and walked off, muttering along the way. 

"Incompetent fools...insubordination...infighting...stealing from each other...how did these imbeciles ever even make it to the team to start with?" Petrel muttered to himself. 

Petrel picked the radio back up. 

"I need information on a Pikachu and a Raichu that were surrendered today," Petrel began. 

"There was nothing like that turned in," the man on the other end said. 

"What?" Petrel said, rage building in his voice. Petrel shook his head, turned off the walkie talkie and walked back up to Ronnie, who were now busy cleaning the gunk out of the cages. 

Ronnie looked up, his eyes immediately filled with fear when he saw the admin. 

"Give me the Poké Balls containing the Pikachu and the Raichu, or I'll make a full report of this foolish fiasco of yours, and you'll be facing a tribunal. We may even make a full report of your crimes before the police as a criminal who is no longer under Team Rocket's protection, and that's if we decide to show mercy...if not...well, let's not think about that..."

Ronnie's shaking hands reached for his belt, unclipped two small Poké Balls, and tried to hand them to the admin. 

"Release the Pokémon. At this point, I don't trust you," Petrel growled. 

Ronnie shakily dropped the two Poké Balls to the ground. Out popped a Pikachu and a Raichu. 

"Pika!" 

"Rai! Rai!" 

"This bad man took you away from your master. How does that make you feel?" Petrel asked. 

As if they understood, the two electric mice started making sparks in their cheeks and discharged a massive wave of electricity that fried Ronnie. As Ronnie fell into a charred heap, Petrel recalled the two Pokémon and lazily left the scene as Ronnie twitched in his smoldering clothes.

Sonya was relieved, and shocked as Petrel showed her the two Poké Balls. 

"These will be returned to you once you are given your first mission," Petrel said as he delicately put the Poké Balls in an envelope and started writing a report of what he understood as the day's events. 

Sonya breathed a sigh of relief as everyone returned to the barracks. She thought about running, but Mindy told her not to do it. She heard that Team Rocket had a habit of punishing deserters in pretty painful ways. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if I stayed true to the anime with the idea that Rocket grunts can't leave without serious consequences, and they aren't under any protections in the contract? Rocket grunt does seem to be a position Rocket agents despise in the anime, and they seem to have very little choice what kind of work they do, preferring to be "blasted off" rather than caught by the police--maybe due to the threat of severe reprimand?


	3. Chapter 3

Shakily, Sonya found her way to her room. She wasn't issued a card key yet so she had to knock on the door. 

Mindy answered. 

"Oh hey, Sonny, come in!" 

Sonya carefully crossed the threshold into the barracks. The room was small and crowded and smelled of mildew, but it was a lot better than the cage and the hot crowded truck. This wasn't where she wanted to spend the night, but she supposed she had no choice. 

 _I guess I should be more grateful. After all, I'm alive._ Sonya thought as she swallowed hard. 

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Sonya jumped away and looked around. It was Mindy. 

"Oh hi. It looks like you're lost in la-la land. Anyway, let me show you around, okay?" Mindy said. 

Sonya nodded in reply, hoping her nervousness wasn't as visible as it was earlier. 

"This of course is where we sleep," Mindy said as she pointed at the rows of bunk beds in the room. 

Sonya looked at the plain metal bunk beds topped with thin gray blankets. 

"You can have the top bunk over there," Mindy said as she motioned to a stack of bunk beds. 

"Okay..." Sonya said carefully. 

Mindy took a whiff of the air and promptly covered her mouth. 

"Phew...I...think you need to get out of that grunt uniform and take a shower! You smell like a sun-ripened Muk!" Mindy said playfully. 

"I'll show you where those are, too. We also have a laundromat, but you have to label your clothes so that they don't get misplaced. Between you and me, they'll get "misplaced" anyway if they're valuable." Mindy continued to explain, "don't trust your coworkers, but I guess that's a no-brainer, huh?"   

Mindy continued to show Sonya around with all of the enthusiasm of a playful, if not somewhat mischievous, puppy Pokémon. 

"...and we keep clean spare uniforms in that closet for emergencies, so you might want to grab one of those in your size," Mindy continued to explain. 

As Mindy was explaining, Sonya's exhaustion started to catch up to her. She covered her mouth, yawned, and stretched. 

"Okay, off to the showers, missy! I'll have your clothes waiting when you get out!" Mindy said while pointing down the hall. It was kind of funny because Mindy couldn't have been any older than she was, yet the tone and attitude she was taking with Sonya made it seem like she was counseling a younger sister. 

Sonya blushed. 

"I...hate to keep inconveniencing you, but could you..." Sonya paused when she saw Mindy's exasperated expression. 

"Okay, go on, spit it out..." Mindy said. 

"I was wondering if you could walk with me to the...showers...." Sonya said. 

Mindy rolled her eyes. 

"Okay, just as long as I don't have to shower _with_ you, scaredy Skitty!" Mindy said jokingly. 

"What? No...I," Sonya said with a blush. 

Mindy patted her on the shoulder. 

"You sure? You haven't been the bravest around these parts..." Mindy said with another eye roll.

"I'm sure...you don't...I'm not asking you to..." Sonya stammered. 

"Could a fooled me!" Mindy said as she playfully shoved her.  

Mindy smiled and rolled her eyes again. 

"...just don't get any ideas...unless you think we'd both like them..." Mindy said with a laugh. 

Sonya couldn't do anything but swallow hard and blush.

"I'm joking. Stop taking everything I say so seriously!" Mindy said after a pause. 

* * *

 

Sonya was embarrassed and uncomfortable. Of course, she didn't fully trust being on a Team Rocket base, but she did have basic needs that she needed to meet regardless. She also couldn't get over how Mindy was treating everything like a big joke. Mindy was acting like an excited kid showing off her new toys. 

"Hee hee...here we are..." Mindy said as she extended her hands dramatically to the closed door. 

Sonya stared at the door and winced a bit. 

"The girls' washroom..."  Mindy said. 

She stood and watched Sonya. 

"What are you waiting for? Go on in!" Mindy said, nudging her. 

She handed her soap, a towel, and a pair of shower shoes. 

"I'll leave everything else you need outside the door; just grab it after you're finished," Mindy said.

Sonya smiled politely then disappeared behind the doors. 

"I'll be outside if you need me," Mindy said as the doors closed. 

 

* * *

Once Sonya finished her shower, she looked outside the door to find a clean Team Rocket grunt uniform and black sneakers. 

 _Running shoes._ Sonya thought. 

Gingerly, Sonya slipped the clean uniform.

She then carefully made her way to the laundry chute.  

Unbeknowst to Sonya, Mindy was behind her. 

Sonya felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped by instinct

"Boo!" Mindy shouted. 

Sonya nearly let out a yelp as she let go of everything that was in her hands, sending it down the chute. 

"I don't know if I would trust laundry services with more than just uniforms..." Mindy said.  

 _Oh no! I tossed my regular clothes down the chute, too!_ Sonya thought, a light sense of panic overtaking her. 

"It was an accident! Is there a way to get them back?" 

"Not that I know of," Mindy said, "..but cheer up, at least you've got your uniform. We don't wear our civilian clothes too often anyway,"  

Sonya hung her head in defeat and walked back to the bunks. 

Carefully, she climbed up to her bunk. The bed was shaky and squeaky. She hoped it wouldn't collapse under her weight. Gently, she shifted herself into a comfortable position. The shaking stopped once she was settled. Sonya buried her head in the snow white sheets and took and whiff; they smelled of some kind of strong detergent. It kind of reminded her of a hospital bed. Hospital beds weren't that bad. 

Suddenly, someone entered the room. 

"I hope you two haven't gone to bed yet!" another girl shouted. 

"Yeah, the night is young, and so are we!" someone else said. 

"Sorry, I guess you guys will have to go out without us tonight," Mindy replied. 

The visitors groaned in disappointment. 

"I'm still trying to get the newbie acquainted," Mindy said, motioning to the top bunk. 

"Okay, suit yourself...but don't whine about missing out on a great time!" one of the Rockets said. 

"Same here," Mindy said. 

With that, the door closed again, and the room was quiet. 

Mindy sighed. 

"Seriously, sometimes I wonder if the "R" doesn't stand for "rowdy" instead of Rocket!" Mindy joked.

Sonya remained silent. 

"Psst! Sonny, hello?" Mindy asked. 

She was greeted by the sound of soft snoring. With no one to talk to, Mindy curled up in her bed and went to sleep. The rest of the night passed without incident. 

* * *

 

The next day, Sonya was up with the recruits and was quietly pacing outside. She was worried about what she was going to tell the recruiter. 

_I know they won't just let me go if I tell them it was a mistake, but does that mean I'm going to have to join Team Rocket for real? What if they want to know my motives?  What if they don't buy my story?_

Sonya's head was swimming. She nervously walked back into the building. 

About twenty minutes later, another Rocket agent in a white uniform walked into the building. She looked like she was in her twenties, and she had long red hair. 

"I'm here for number 5403 Sonya Clearwater," the woman read from her clipboard.

Sonya nervously raised her hand. 

"Sorry about what happened yesterday! I'm here to take you to the recruiting center," the female Rocket said.  

Nervously, Sonya followed the woman and boarded the vehicle. 

Seated in the passenger seat, the former assistant took a deep breath and was greeted with a leathery new car smell. She leaned back in the seat and let the chilly air from the air conditioning vent blow through her hair. This experience would have been peaceful if it wasn't for the nagging dread she had about the destination. 

"Do you want to listen to the radio?" the woman offered. 

A nod signaled a positive response. The woman turned it up very loud. 

" _You know us as Team Rocket and we fight for what is wrong; we're tired of our motto, so we thought we'd try a song. Jessie! James!_ " 

The song had a surprisingly good beat, but it was so loud it was hurting her eardrums. 

She shouted over the music and requested for it to be turned down. 

Her driver complied. 

Sonya's worries quickly drowned out the rest of the music. Nervously, she watched the scenery go by as she was rushed to her destination. She hoped for some kind of distraction, a Snorlax in the road, an angry Ursaring, a group of dueling Scyther...that would allow her to escape, but there was nothing like that today, just a strangely quiet long stretch of highway.

_We're going way too fast for me to try to climb out, and I don't have any Pokemon. Plus, even if I did escape, how would i get back home? Mindy said they punished deserters...._

She wanted to get out of all of this, but she also had a strong sense of self preservation and didn't want to put herself in danger. The hundreds of negative scenarios she could imagine kept her from trying anything brash. She continued to try to think of a way she could escape without damage and came up empty. 

Sonya continued fighting with herself, and, before she knew it... 

 

* * *

 

"We're here," the woman said in a voice that was way too cheerful for the occasion. 

 _Oh, great._ Sonya thought. 

Sonya shakily exited the vehicle and followed the woman into Team Rocket's recruiting office. It was a huge air-conditioned office-style building. The hall was lined with grunts who saluted the pair as they entered. They reached a hall lined with small offices. Sonya was invited into one. The whole thing reminded Sonya of a used car dealership, not an evil organization. There was a big round black desk with a giant red "R" embossed on the front of it. 

 _They're certainly not going for subtlety._ Sonya thought. 

She carefully approached the desk and took a seat at one of the chairs. 

 _Are they going to interview me?_ Sonya thought. 

"You look nervous. Would you like something to drink?" the woman offered. She walked over to what looked like a wine fridge and pulled out a bottle of Evian water. 

Sonya swallowed and shifted in her seat. 

_That looks good, but I better not take it._

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Sonya said. 

"Are you sure? We have soda, too," the woman offered. 

"No, I'm good, thanks," Sonya said. 

"Heh...heh," the woman chuckled darkly. 

Sonya gave a nervous smile and a weak laugh.

The woman looked at her watch, and her expression suddenly got serious. 

 Without another word, she pulled out a giant stack of papers. 

Sonya's eyes grew wide. 

"I just need you to initial on most of these," the woman said. 

Sonya took the stack of papers into her lap and started looking over them. After a few minutes, she cautiously raised her hand like a shy kindergarten student asking to be excused. 

"Yes?" 

"Um? Is there a chance I could maybe...take these...home to finish?" Sonya squeaked, only remembering where she was and why that was probably the dumbest request she had ever made after the words left her mouth. 

"Take...them home? Oh! That's a good one! I'm afraid not, though..." the woman said, darkly chuckling at the end. 

Sonya tried to laugh, but she looked really nervous. 

"We can go through them together, if you would like?" the woman offered.  

Sonya nervously nodded her head. 

The woman pulled up a holographic computer and started entering data. 

"Okay, page one, who were you before you decided to join Team Rocket?" the woman asked. 

Sonya flashed a nervous smile. 

"Um...sorry, but why do you...need that information?"

Sonya looked at the stack of papers. A lot of the information they were requesting was  _really_ personal.  

"No reason...it's more of a formality, I guess..." the woman said while typing away at her computer. 

Sonya sighed. 

"Besides...I don't even remember half of this..." Sonya said. 

My database can help you there...for example, it says here that your name is Sonya Clearwater. You're the daughter of Demmi and Dave Clearwater. Your birthday's June 3rd; your favorite color is green. Your, shall we say previous, occupation was a lab assistant to a Pokemon researcher named Norman Crabapple..." the woman said while busily typing away at her holographic computer. 

Sonya's mouth was hanging open at this point. 

"....and in case you doubt we indeed know everything about you..."

She caught the recruiter giving her a playfully evil smile before taking an exaggerated breath. 

'...your medical records show that you wet the bed until you were about seven, you're allergic to peanuts, you've been treated for a recurring generalized anxiety disorder, and you were almost arrested for driving in a bikes only lane, but the Officer Jenny totally bought your sob story about needing to get to the hospital to see your injured brother, which you did not have, as you are an only child...am I blowing your mind, yet?" 

Sonya's shocked expression said it all.  

"How do you guys know all of that?" Sonya asked seconds later, recovering from shock. 

"Meh...I.D. scans, police records, mass data collection operations, oh, yeah, and social media...social media is a big source of personal information!" the woman said. 

Sonya looked like a deer Pokemon facing an approaching car. 

"Yeah, we just need you to declare most of that to us in writing so that it doesn't look like we were spying on you," the woman said lazily.

_But you were totally spying on me!_

As if reading Sonya's mind, the woman chuckled. 

"If you need a refresher, it's all on this screen. I trust that this is fairly accurate," the woman said, as she pushed the holographic screen over to Sonya to copy. 

Sonya, not really sure of what else to do, silently copied what she read on screen. It was surreal to see your whole private life, facts that you wouldn't even share with your best friend, presented in such an impersonal way, on a computer screen, in a database that anyone with the right credentials could access. It was scary on its own, but the fact that this was information held by an infamous organized crime syndicate made it downright nightmare inducing. She filled in every piece of information on the application fully knowing she was signing her life away. 

It took Sonya a little over an hour, but she was almost finished. As she continued to look over the last page, something caught her eye. 

She slowly raised her hand again. 

"Yes, Sonya?" the woman asked, this time in a playful somewhat exaggerated tone, like a school teacher might do when calling out a rebellious student. 

"What does this mean? I pledge not to leave Team Rocket except through an approved re-induction program?" Sonya asked. 

"Oh that? To get the full details, you would have to talk to HR, but...after you join Team Rocket, we own you. That shouldn't come as a surprise, and, in case you're having second thoughts, I already have your signature saying that you agreed to join; it was on the first page of registration, where you signed your name the first time. Applicants usually miss that for some reason..."

Sonya looked down at her contract and did a mental face palm. The realization that she might have been free had she just looked at this pile of papers more carefully before signing them hit her like a ton of bricks. 

If you're in for a while... I think you're obligated to do at least a year, and you absolutely  _have_ to leave. Circumstances like these are rare, but let's say you come down with some kind of terrible debilitating illness that prevents you from doing your duties, or maybe you're elected for a lucrative and demanding public service position that won't allow you to work for us due to bad PR. Well, we would need some way to let you leave and still benefit from it, wouldn't we? That's where reintroduction comes in. You know, we don't just drag you outside and shoot you, usually...it's inefficient. Plus, do that enough, and people start talking...We don't want to scare people away from joining, so we have a little system that gives our active members a little more...dignity. Things happen; we get that."

The woman took a breath.

"Speaking of benefits, we also offer a 401K, a college savings plan, health insurance, and a signing bonus, but most of the money you earn is held until you become a legal adult."

Sonya took a deep breath. She wasn't as afraid to ask what was on her mind after hearing the professional sounding speech. 

"What if, and this is just hypothetical, just hypothetical, but what if someone joined by accident?" 

There was a pause. 

"Hmm...I don't know that one. You have some good questions. I tell you what. I'll call HR, and we'll talk to them together, okay?" 

Sonya nodded her head. 

The woman pressed a button. 

"Hello, this is Wendy, may I help you?" 

"Hi, Wendy, it's Auderie at recruiting. I have a new recruit who has some questions about our discharge process," 

"It's fairly simple, straight-forward, and covered in the handbook!" Wendy said impatiently. 

"Okay, but she, she asked me some questions I couldn't find, such as, "what happens if someone joins by accident or decides, prior to signing the whole contract, that they don't want to be a member?" 

"Did she sign the first page?" 

"Yep," 

"Then, she's ours, and that's the end of it. We could take her out back and shoot her if we wanted to. She has no legal protection whatsoever and no claims to any other part of the contract that we are obligated to uphold,"  

Sonya turned pale and started to feel sick. 

"Oh, okay, how long will it be like that?" Auderie asked in a strangely professional tone that made it seem like she didn't quite grasp the previous information. 

"After she passes basic and goes on a few missions, she'll get a chance to upgrade her status. Once her status is upgraded, protections take effect," Wendy explained. 

 _Could you be any more vague?_ Sonya thought. 

"Sorry, English, please?" Auderie asked. 

Wendy sighed. 

"In other words, as long as she's a grunt, Team Rocket can decide if she lives or dies. If she serves us well, though, and successfully becomes a field agent, VIT, field ally, or really anything higher than a grunt, she'll be protected by the contract. Right now, though, she's at the complete mercy of the Team Rocket admins. I'd walk softly if I were her," Wendy explained. 

"Oh, thanks for clearing that up!" Auderie said in her oddly cheerful voice. 

"Anytime! But that information really is in the handbook," Wendy said. 

Auderie closed the video phone call, and Sonya sat in her chair ready to dry heave. 

_What on Earth have I gotten myself into?_

"Are you sure you don't want a soda or something, you look pale?" 

"I...guess I'll take something," Sonya said weakly. 

"Sure, I have soda pop, lemonade, sparkling water, and fresh spring water. Which do you want?" the woman asked. 

"I guess I'll take the fresh water," Sonya said. 

Wordlessly, the woman passed Sonya the ice cold Evian bottle, and she drained it down. 

"Okay, do you have any more questions for me?" 

"I'm dead, aren't I?" Sonya asked frustration quietly taking over. Her eyes searched the recruiter's for something human, pity, concern?  

Instead, Auderie's gaze was cold and glassy. She gave a nervous laugh. 

"I think that might be a better question for the people who will handle your basic training," Auderie answered with a weak laugh. 

 Sonya slumped in her chair and stared at her feet. 

"Of course I'm joking. I'm sure you'll be okay if you work hard to please your superiors," Auderie finally said in a matter-of-fact tone.

The girl's expression didn't change.  

"Oh, cheer up! Remember, almost everyone started life here as a grunt. They lived through it, and you probably will, too."

 _Probably?_ Sonya thought

* * *

 Sonya just sat there, trying to wrap her head around what she had gotten herself into. 

"Okay, everything is taken care of. You'll start your orientation classes and basic training tomorrow at 4 AM. The hours are murder, I know!" Auderie said, trying, in vain, to lighten the mood. 

Auderie placed a heavy binder into Sonya's lap. 

"Okay, that's everything you need right now, your employee handbook---read it from cover to cover; there will be a test, a copy of Team Rocket's mission statement, your textbook for your orientation classes, your codes for the online portion of the course, a company issued holographic computer--no civilian technology allowed, guard it with your life, a guide to using the teleportation tiles, maps of our secret locations..." 

Auderie took another exaggerated breath before continuing. 

"...and your card key to the on site dorms and associated facilities." 

A sweat drop appeared on Sonya's forehead. She again attempted a nervous smile. 

"Now, if there are no more questions..." 

Auderie pressed a button on her desk. Before Sonya knew what was happening, she was surrounded by a clear plastic cylinder and was rapidly descending several stories through a secret hole in the floor. 

"Welcome aboard, grunt!" she heard Auderie call out. 

Sonya sat back in her chair, which she now noticed had seat belts on it. The elevator music was a song. She closed her eyes and tried to listen to it to get her mind off of the really fast dangerous feeling descent.  

" _Prepare for trouble; make it double...to protect the world from devastation, to unite all people within our nation, to denounce the evils of truth and love, to extend our reach to the stars above! Jessie! James! Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light, surrender now or prepare to fight. Meowth--that's right! Team Rocket's rockin' talking trouble big trouble gonna follow you..._ "

It was actually somewhat catchy and familiar.

 _This is like what they said to us when they broke into the lab._ Sonya thought. 

She shuddered, uneasiness continuing to play with her mind. 

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ Sonya asked herself.  

 


End file.
